The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a scathing response to former Military Head of State Yakubu Gowon, comparing his legacy to that of German dictator Adolf Hitler who was responsible for the Holocaust that claimed six million Jewish lives.
In a statement released on Monday and signed by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, IPOB vehemently rejected Gowon's recent claim that the Nigerian Civil War was fought "for unity and not hatred," describing the remark as "an insensitive, provocative, and shameless attempt to whitewash the Biafran genocide."
"Gowon's legacy is not one of unity but of unparalleled brutality, second only to Adolf Hitler's slaughter of six million Jews," the statement declared, adding that the former leader will "never be known for unity but for unparalleled brutality."
Challenging Gowon's Historical Narrative
The group posed several pointed questions to Gowon, challenging him to address what they described as historical inaccuracies and unresolved issues surrounding the civil war that lasted from 1967 to 1970.
"What happened at Aburi? Why did you renege on the agreements reached with Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, which could have averted the war?" IPOB questioned, referring to the famous Aburi Accord negotiations that preceded the conflict.
The statement also questioned why Gowon allegedly "perpetuated the falsehood that the January 1966 coup was an Igbo plot" and why he "refused to return Nigeria to regionalism, a system that fostered unprecedented economic growth."
Accusations of Genocide
IPOB accused Gowon of orchestrating what they termed a genocide against Biafrans during the civil war, claiming that "over five million Biafrans, men, women, and children" were killed under his command.
"To compare his genocidal war to a quest for unity is to spit on the graves of our ancestors and mock the suffering of survivors," the statement continued, dismissing Gowon's "crocodile tears over the violence in Jos and his hollow lamentations about Nigeria's disunity."
The group further alleged that Gowon implemented "starvation policies, mass executions, and aerial bombardments of civilian populations" during the war, actions they claim he has never shown remorse for.
Rejection of Forced Unity
In their statement, IPOB rejected the concept of Nigerian unity as currently constituted, describing the country as "an artificial creation designed by colonial masters to exploit indigenous ethnic nationalities."
"Unity cannot be imposed by force, nor can it thrive in a contraption like Nigeria," the group asserted, adding that "the diverse cultures and worldviews of Nigeria's peoples are irreconcilable under a forced union that prioritizes the interests of a few over the aspirations of many."
The statement concluded with IPOB reaffirming its commitment to "the pursuit of self-determination for Biafra" and calling on "all Biafrans, both at home and in the diaspora, to reject Gowon's revisionist narrative and unite in our quest for freedom."
As of the time of this report, there has been no response from General Yakubu Gowon to these allegations.
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